Fight Or Flight?

[sensei8]

Speaking as someone who is physically fit and 6ft tall I run if I can. The truth is that there are too many variables in a street fight and you just aren't going to consider all of them in the heat of the moment. If I can, I run. I generally assume that in a street fight the opponent is going for my life, or at least as no qualms in ending it and I personally like my life. That was a imperative taught to me by my sensei. Run if you can, fight until you can run if you can't. Martial Arts is a way to defend yourself and I only ever want to use it if I absolutely have to. Otherwise, running is a good way of defending myself.

Practically every MA philosophy from the past still rings true, and I believe that any responsible instructor, no matter rank/style, speaks about what you've posting here. Fight if you have to, otherwise, find safe haven. There is no shame, imho, to either choice; fight or flight.

[Shizentai]

I'm the opposite of MasterPain...5ft8, 140lbs, scrawny li'l bugger. Most people don't fight me because they don't realise they could knock my lights out with one punch. They probably think I'm tough enough not to be worth the risk (fortunately for me, since I've never been KO'd).

In fact, I'm apparently intimidating (?????) to men at clubs - when they're trying to chat up my female friends and I give them the evil eye, they never come close

Being a smaller-than-average female I know I am not going to intimidate anyone. Like it or not, that's the way it is for me. I think a lot of men should realize that even though women are underrepresented in many martial arts, we are often more targeted by people looking to take advantage of others, and thus most in-need of a life of training. Part of training is simply having the presence of mind to make good decisions quickly in a stressful situation. As easy as it would be for me to make some rules that would govern how I should behave in the presence of a person who wants to do me harm, when that situation comes along, all of that goes out the window. The only view that is 20/20 is hindsight. As for that I can relay with some detail:

Situations where I have fled:

- when a van with no plates pulled up while I was walking the dog late at night, the door slid open and someone from inside reached out towards me.

- when a creepy tall man tried to follow me home from the grocery store one evening while I was living in Japan.

- when a teenage boy tried to steal my bike (just rolled him over and kept going).

- when I was outside of a gas station in Alabama and a man pulled a gun out of his car and started pointing it around at people (incidentally, I am told he proceeded to put it away and pay for some gas after that, so I ended up just looking like a wuss watching the scene from behind a dumpster, but I still think I made the right decision).

Situations where I have fought:

- when a fellow high school student groped me (unfortunately I may have overreacted, and subsequently gained a reputation after that, so I decided not to fight anymore unless it was absolutely necessary).

- when a person I met at a party in college came up to me, grabbed me by my hair, smacked my head against a marble counter and then sat on top of me (poor boy, the types of injuries I proceeded to give him I'm sure did not heal quickly).

Situations where I have had the presence of mind to talk myself out of a bad position without either of us being harmed in any way:

- 2004 mugging

- 2004 attempted bike theft

- 2002 kids from another neighborhood trying to bully me

[MasterPain]

I'm the opposite of MasterPain...5ft8, 140lbs, scrawny li'l bugger. Most people don't fight me because they don't realise they could knock my lights out with one punch. They probably think I'm tough enough not to be worth the risk (fortunately for me, since I've never been KO'd).

In fact, I'm apparently intimidating (?????) to men at clubs - when they're trying to chat up my female friends and I give them the evil eye, they never come close

Being a smaller-than-average female I know I am not going to intimidate anyone. Like it or not, that's the way it is for me. I think a lot of men should realize that even though women are underrepresented in many martial arts, we are often more targeted by people looking to take advantage of others, and thus most in-need of a life of training. Part of training is simply having the presence of mind to make good decisions quickly in a stressful situation. As easy as it would be for me to make some rules that would govern how I should behave in the presence of a person who wants to do me harm, when that situation comes along, all of that goes out the window. The only view that is 20/20 is hindsight. As for that I can relay with some detail:

Situations where I have fled:

- when a van with no plates pulled up while I was walking the dog late at night, the door slid open and someone from inside reached out towards me.

- when a creepy tall man tried to follow me home from the grocery store one evening while I was living in Japan.

- when a teenage boy tried to steal my bike (just rolled him over and kept going).

- when I was outside of a gas station in Alabama and a man pulled a gun out of his car and started pointing it around at people (incidentally, I am told he proceeded to put it away and pay for some gas after that, so I ended up just looking like a wuss watching the scene from behind a dumpster, but I still think I made the right decision).

Situations where I have fought:

- when a fellow high school student groped me (unfortunately I may have overreacted, and subsequently gained a reputation after that, so I decided not to fight anymore unless it was absolutely necessary).

- when a person I met at a party in college came up to me, grabbed me by my hair, smacked my head against a marble counter and then sat on top of me (poor boy, the types of injuries I proceeded to give him I'm sure did not heal quickly).

Situations where I have had the presence of mind to talk myself out of a bad position without either of us being harmed in any way:

- 2004 mugging

- 2004 attempted bike theft

- 2002 kids from another neighborhood trying to bully me

Sounds like a wise woman.

[bushido_man96]

The only time you really have to fight is when you are cornered and have not other choice but to fight or suffer sever injury or death. Flight isn't always a bad thing.

[seikokaistudent]

Im still in high school so I don't really have to worry about getting stabbed or shot, so when I have good reason I fight. I would rather give up my wallet than be stabbed if I were being mugged, then again my Uncle was mugged, and when the robber bent down to pick up his wallet he kicked him in the face and got away with his wallet. You should probably avoid violent confrontation in most cases.

[sensei8]

I'm the opposite of MasterPain...5ft8, 140lbs, scrawny li'l bugger. Most people don't fight me because they don't realise they could knock my lights out with one punch. They probably think I'm tough enough not to be worth the risk (fortunately for me, since I've never been KO'd).

In fact, I'm apparently intimidating (?????) to men at clubs - when they're trying to chat up my female friends and I give them the evil eye, they never come close

Being a smaller-than-average female I know I am not going to intimidate anyone. Like it or not, that's the way it is for me. I think a lot of men should realize that even though women are underrepresented in many martial arts, we are often more targeted by people looking to take advantage of others, and thus most in-need of a life of training. Part of training is simply having the presence of mind to make good decisions quickly in a stressful situation. As easy as it would be for me to make some rules that would govern how I should behave in the presence of a person who wants to do me harm, when that situation comes along, all of that goes out the window. The only view that is 20/20 is hindsight. As for that I can relay with some detail:

Situations where I have fled:

- when a van with no plates pulled up while I was walking the dog late at night, the door slid open and someone from inside reached out towards me.

- when a creepy tall man tried to follow me home from the grocery store one evening while I was living in Japan.

- when a teenage boy tried to steal my bike (just rolled him over and kept going).

- when I was outside of a gas station in Alabama and a man pulled a gun out of his car and started pointing it around at people (incidentally, I am told he proceeded to put it away and pay for some gas after that, so I ended up just looking like a wuss watching the scene from behind a dumpster, but I still think I made the right decision).

Situations where I have fought:

- when a fellow high school student groped me (unfortunately I may have overreacted, and subsequently gained a reputation after that, so I decided not to fight anymore unless it was absolutely necessary).

- when a person I met at a party in college came up to me, grabbed me by my hair, smacked my head against a marble counter and then sat on top of me (poor boy, the types of injuries I proceeded to give him I'm sure did not heal quickly).

Situations where I have had the presence of mind to talk myself out of a bad position without either of us being harmed in any way:

- 2004 mugging

- 2004 attempted bike theft

- 2002 kids from another neighborhood trying to bully me

Sounds like a wise woman.

I wholeheartedly concur!!

[sensei8]

The only time you really have to fight is when you are cornered and have not other choice but to fight or suffer sever injury or death. Flight isn't always a bad thing.

Solid post!!

[sensei8]

Im still in high school so I don't really have to worry about getting stabbed or shot, so when I have good reason I fight. I would rather give up my wallet than be stabbed if I were being mugged, then again my Uncle was mugged, and when the robber bent down to pick up his wallet he kicked him in the face and got away with his wallet. You should probably avoid violent confrontation in most cases.

Considering the school shooting attacks that have happened both in the near past as well as quite recently, you've every reason to contemplate and plan in readiness for if and when the possibility should arise at your high school. I pray that you never have to experience this type of violence!!

[sensei8]

In addition to my previous post above...

3 wounded in shooting at Lone Star College in Houston, Texas today.

My prayers out to the shooting victims of this senseless violence.

[bushido_man96]

In addition to my previous post above...

3 wounded in shooting at Lone Star College in Houston, Texas today.

My prayers out to the shooting victims of this senseless violence.

That's terrible. They will be in my prayers, as well.